Why Marijuana Use is a Civil Rights Issue
Oct. 20th, 2010 02:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sathorWhile California NAACP seems to feel that marijuana legalization would help the civil rights for minorities because of the disproportionate number of blacks and latinos serving prison sentences for small-time possession, the real underlying issue is being missed. Marijuana is a civil rights issue because those who use it are a rather large sub-culture of individuals, who all share in the same activity, the same fears, the same persecution, and the same abuse of their basic rights as human beings, and all face the possibility of serving a prison term for executing their right to be a part of a culture. Government has no right to jail individuals who commit no crime against another, or do not infringe upon the rights of another. It is an individual's right to use whatever drug they so desire, at any given time - as soon as they begin to commit crimes (endangering the lives of other's via driving under the influence, acting violently or psychotically) then they are, indeed, breaking the law. However, until that moment arises, they are not. "Law" is not - and ideally CAN NOT be - simply legislation, or a codified set of rules written by those in power, but rather SHOULD BE a representation of the idea that any violation of /another's/ basic rights as a human being constitutes a breach of the social contract. Government and law both exist to protect the people essentially from those around them, and any activity that does not harm others can not constitute a breaking of law. This is simple logic. And it is far removed from any sort of idealogical, religious or political bias that almost always works its way into the discussion when talking about marijuana, or drugs of any kind for that matter.
In fact, one does not need to argue the benefits of marijuana legalization, or the legalization of any other drugs. Even if it would curb organized crime, change the dynamics of south american drug cartels, release millions of innocent people from prisons, give those who use it medicinally the chance to without fear of jailing, these are all arguments which the opposing side has dealt with before, and more importantly, arguments the opposing side doesn't care about. They have a million excuses for their failed drug policies and their infringement upon our civil rights. This is not the way. And we all must come to realize that, before we succeed in changing anything.
We are tens of millions strong. This fact should not go under appreciated. African Americans did not make much more a percentage of the United States population during the civil rights movement than those of us who use - counting occasional users - make up. (x1 cite) Surveys indicate close to 50% of the population have used marijuana at some point in their lifetime, and 10-20% have used it within the past month. Even 10% of the population is thirty-three million people. Half of that would have a case for civil rights violations. Millions of us are residing in jail currently, to add insult to injury.
First of all, WE must remember WE are people. WE are human beings. WE have value to society - we work jobs, we increase the Gross Domestic Product, we pay taxes. And we have a lot to learn from past movements if we desire to change policies to treat us as equals.
There were protests, then. There were marches. There were multitudes of arrests as a result of civil disobedience. These are all things which MUST occur before we can take steps forward. Even if Proposition 19 passes in California, federal law will still violate the rights of citizens in that state, and in every other. Until we can change policies at a federal level - until we can obtain the rights we have deserved for nearly a hundred years - we can not say we have made any progress at all. And we can not stop our movement until that time is met.
I must add one more thing before this section is finished. The "hippie culture" is identifiable often times - long hair, tye-dye shirts, strange symbols and clothing, stranger ways of talking. While I can understand the desire to set oneself apart from the crowd, if we desire to move forward and change the laws, we must all begin to avoid the stereotypes our enemies have placed upon us. The assumptions which go along with perceiving an individual fitting a stereotype of this kind have been ingrained into the minds of modern day people, and it is difficult to obtain credibility when we fit the bill. Therefore, it is wise to avoid it.
In fact, one does not need to argue the benefits of marijuana legalization, or the legalization of any other drugs. Even if it would curb organized crime, change the dynamics of south american drug cartels, release millions of innocent people from prisons, give those who use it medicinally the chance to without fear of jailing, these are all arguments which the opposing side has dealt with before, and more importantly, arguments the opposing side doesn't care about. They have a million excuses for their failed drug policies and their infringement upon our civil rights. This is not the way. And we all must come to realize that, before we succeed in changing anything.
We are tens of millions strong. This fact should not go under appreciated. African Americans did not make much more a percentage of the United States population during the civil rights movement than those of us who use - counting occasional users - make up. (x1 cite) Surveys indicate close to 50% of the population have used marijuana at some point in their lifetime, and 10-20% have used it within the past month. Even 10% of the population is thirty-three million people. Half of that would have a case for civil rights violations. Millions of us are residing in jail currently, to add insult to injury.
First of all, WE must remember WE are people. WE are human beings. WE have value to society - we work jobs, we increase the Gross Domestic Product, we pay taxes. And we have a lot to learn from past movements if we desire to change policies to treat us as equals.
There were protests, then. There were marches. There were multitudes of arrests as a result of civil disobedience. These are all things which MUST occur before we can take steps forward. Even if Proposition 19 passes in California, federal law will still violate the rights of citizens in that state, and in every other. Until we can change policies at a federal level - until we can obtain the rights we have deserved for nearly a hundred years - we can not say we have made any progress at all. And we can not stop our movement until that time is met.
I must add one more thing before this section is finished. The "hippie culture" is identifiable often times - long hair, tye-dye shirts, strange symbols and clothing, stranger ways of talking. While I can understand the desire to set oneself apart from the crowd, if we desire to move forward and change the laws, we must all begin to avoid the stereotypes our enemies have placed upon us. The assumptions which go along with perceiving an individual fitting a stereotype of this kind have been ingrained into the minds of modern day people, and it is difficult to obtain credibility when we fit the bill. Therefore, it is wise to avoid it.
